Welcome to Tanzania....Karibu Karibu Karibu. As an 'mzungu' traveling in East Africa, people pretty much assume you're from out of town. So, inevitably, everyday, you hear the term 'karibu Tanzania' at least 10 times from strangers strolling down the dusty roads. And, if I had to choose one term to summarize Tanzanians, I would choose 'welcoming'. It's a beautiful country...filled with beautiful, amazing people.
So, how did this small-town Tennessee girl end up in Tanzania for a year? QUEENS!! Queens whet my appetite for seeing and experiencing the world. While attending, I studied abroad in Hong Kong (everyone needs to read Elisabeth's blog, because HK is AMAZING), and spent last summer in Tanzania teaching at a primary school. During my Senior year, I applied for a Fulbright grant through the US government to apply my Honors Thesis to on-the-ground research. My purpose here is to research non-governmental organizations. The title of my project is 'Assessing the Efficacy of NGO-Sponsored Anti-Poverty Programs in Rural and Urban Tanzania'. It's a long title that basically just means I get to go around on dalla-dallas (minivans with about 30 people crammed inside) everyday and interview NGO directors and project beneficiaries...that is, after sorting out all my paperwork with the government...which was an adventure in and of itself!
I look forward to updating this blog with interesting stories and pictures and hope that you enjoy it!
Thanks for the shout out love!
Posted by: Elisabeth | January 15, 2008 at 05:38 PM